envidiar Imperfect Conjugation
envidiar — to envy
The imperfect of envidiar is envidiaba, envidiabas, envidiaba, envidiábamos, envidiabais, envidiaban, used for past habits, ongoing states, or descriptions involving envy.
envidiar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense for ongoing or habitual feelings of envy in the past. It also describes the background situation where envy might have existed. For example, 'He always envied his older brother's toys.'
Notes on envidiar in the Imperfect
Envidiar is regular in the imperfect indicative tense.
Example Sentences
Yo envidiaba secretamente su éxito.
I secretly envied his success.
yo
Tú envidiabas las vacaciones de tus amigos.
You envied your friends' vacations.
tú
Ella envidiaba la atención que recibía su hermana.
She envied the attention her sister received.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros envidiábamos la vida sin preocupaciones de los niños.
We envied the carefree life of children.
nosotros
Ellos envidiaban la libertad de movimiento que tenías.
They envied the freedom of movement you had.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'envidió' when describing a continuous or habitual state of envy in the past.
Correct: For ongoing past envy, use the imperfect: 'Él envidiaba', not 'Él envidió'.
Why: The imperfect describes states and habits, while the preterite describes completed actions.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'envidiábamos'.
Correct: The 'nosotros' form requires an accent: 'envidiábamos'.
Why: The accent marks the stressed syllable in this imperfect form.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: envidio
The present tense of envidiar is envidio, envidias, envidia, envidiamos, envidiáis, envidian, used for current feelings of envy or general truths about it.
Preterite
yo: envidié
The preterite of envidiar is regular: envidié, envidiaste, envidió, envidiamos, envidiasteis, envidiaron, used for completed acts of envying.
Future
yo: envidiaré
The future tense of envidiar is envidiaré, envidiarás, envidiará, envidiarémos, envidiaréis, envidiarán, used for predictions or promises about future envy.
Conditional
yo: envidiaría
The conditional of envidiar is envidiaría, envidiarías, envidiaría, envidiaríamos, envidiaríais, envidiarían, used for hypothetical envy or polite suggestions.
Present Subjunctive
yo: envidie
The present subjunctive of envidiar is envidie, envidies, envidiemos, envidien, envidiéis, used after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: envidiara
The imperfect subjunctive of envidiar (envidiara/envidiase) expresses hypothetical past envy or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: envidia
Commands in the imperative are regular for envidiar: envidia (tú), envidie (usted), envidiemos (nosotros), envidien (ustedes), envidiad (vosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no envidies
Negative commands for envidiar use the present subjunctive: no envidies (tú), no envidie (usted), no envidiemos (nosotros), no envidien (ustedes), no envidiéis (vosotros).